- Date
- September 1, 2022, 21:18 UTC
- Place
- Denver, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 147 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N76529Boeing 737-824
- Defining event
- Enroute-descent: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 105884
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An encounter with clear air turbulence, which resulted in a serious injury as a flight attendant was lowering her jumpseat.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight crew stated that the flight was on the final stage of the arrival for landing. The seatbelt sign had been on, the flight attendants had just completed their final pre-landing preparations, and had been instructed to take their seats, when suddenly the flight experienced a sudden jolt due to clear air turbulence. When the turbulence occurred one of the flight attendants was in the process of seating herself and as she placed her hand on her jumpseat to lower it, the turbulence occurred causing her to fall and experience an abrupt and intense pressure on her left hand as her fingers were bent backwards. Her hand immediately began to swell. The injured flight attendant was assisted by another flight attendant, the flight crew was informed, and a medical emergency was declared. After landing the flight attendant was given medical care and diagnosed with a fracture of the 4th metacarpal bone in her left hand.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N76529
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-824
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31652
- Built
- 2010
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B26/3, 25,900 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B26/3, 25,900 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- KPDX · Portland, OR
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 24, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 9,620 total · 7,773 in this make and model · 6,130 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 31, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 298 total · 35 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- DEN, 9 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.